Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-04-13
INTERSTATE COMneRCE mn
"[eat excitement and Discussion IN
oamden over the Bill-Railroad Com.
missioner Mortlaad Thinks the R;I
hurtiui to the Interests OF New Eng.
land.


CAMDEN, April ~.
IDere i g"eat excitement and discu.o;o,
mere over the Results of the Interstate bill
halir"ao Commissioner Mortland think. tne
Dill very hur;ful to the interests of New
England He says the provisions of the new
law relate to common carriers an,a,,d :,
lrahsportlon wholly by rail or partly by boat
heretofore 1mpetition kept the freight charg-
es reasonable. As the Independent steam
BOAT lines are not affected there can be no
competition, and consequently high rates will
D. ti'e RUE. by special arrangements here
totore, we in Maine were enabled to have the
great products of the west, grain. -four. etc
set down at the doors in Portland. Bangor.
Belfast, Rockland, and other seaport cities
ana towns at as nearly low rates for trans.
portatlon as Boston and New York, and were
al the same time enabled to load the empty
ears that brought the products of the west to
cur doors, with granite, lime, lumber, pota-
toes, hav, ice, etc, and ship the same wher-
ever our people could find market. and at
redaced rates OF fare, because these through
lines OF railroads could make a small margin
or pront IN carrying the products over what
they otherwise would by running cars back to
the west empty. All these special contracts
and arrange ments are now forbidden by the
law. Most Of our State products can be de-
livered more cheaply by water than by rail,
so the roads being unable TO make special
contracts, must give up the bulk of the sea-
port towns business. The effect on the inte-
rior of our State is also bad. The county of
Aroostook, our greatest producer, has no
road reaching into it except through New
brunswick. Its bulk products of hav,
grains and potatoes must be shipped over
clrcutous road of one hundred and fifty miles
around through New Brunswick, and local
rates must be charged, for the law classes a
road passing through any adjacent country
the same as those passing from State to State.
The only way these bulky products have been
able to reach a market has been through spe-
cial rates. The same result applies to ship
ment into this country.
The mills in Watervlle, Madison and
other places have a disadvantage, being 10
Gated far from the markets. Special ar
rangements with the road have offset this
disadvantage. That the new law will effect
these mills disastrouslv all can see. We can
see no advantages to be derived by the citi-
zens of Maine from the new law, but rather
an injury to commerce and trade in general.
The effect of the law upon small roads like
the Knox Lincoln depends much upon the
terms which connecting roads may be able to
give them, but we do not think that such
rates can be obtained. 1t will enable manu-
facturers to ship lime, cut granite, ETC., by
rail as the principal markets are on the sea-
board and places near them and manutactur-
ers will ship by water The commissioners
are authorized to charge less for longer
than shorter haul if it is thought advisable,
but they will not have time to examine into
the respectable faction of the complaints and
grievances. Section of the bill seems to
be bold dash pure and simple, as difficult
of Interpretation as some portions OF scrip
ture. The hue and cry of the roads about
passes seems uncalled for, and roads can
give as many passes AS they please to all ex-
cept newspaper men. We can hardly account
for the big vote in Congress unless it was
due to the pressure from the west and south.
We think the New England members of
Congress can offer no excuse for favoring
the bill, as its effects are all disastrous to
New England's business.